Santa Fe Importers

A true Long Beach treasure! Stepping into this iconic Long Beach marketplace is like taking a trip where the aroma of oven-roasted meatballs, sautéed onions, and rich spaghetti sauce fills the air, welcoming you like an old friend. For 75 years, this family-owned gem has been serving Italian comfort food with a passion beyond just cooking and bringing people together. I got a friend to show me a joint that had existed way before their time. This is a generational small business, and the proof is in the framed photos on the wall. Old newspaper and magazine articles can be found in the diner. Pro tip - make sure to order your hot sandwich or plates first before exploring the market. Hot dishes take a while, so ordering it first will save time.PASTRAMI SANDWICH - One of their bestsellers, and for good reason! The pastrami was juicy, and the soft white bread with mustard and pickles was phenomenal. We ordered the large and split it, which was still plenty filling.PESTO SALAD - Available in small, medium, or large containers. We went with the medium, which was more than enough for two. It made for a great side. Tasty, fresh, and a healthy complement to our meal.

Guys, straight up ... outstanding food, but crap environment to order and eat in ... and I would seriously think twice about going into their neighborhood after dark.You order at an inside window, EVERYTHING is made to go ... and then if you choose to eat there, you have to hope to get an open bar stool so you can eat at the 6" counter pressed up against the glass.Some should find that charming. We do not.

This is a super cute place in the middle of an industrial area. Everyone in there besides me was a worker and a man. It has a cute little shop inside, where you can buy pasta, sauces and condiments. There are 2 lines, one for hot sandwiches and for cold sandwiches. Both times that I've been there the lines are at least 4 other people before me. There is some seating there as well. Staff is friendly and the sandwiches were great for the price. We had a pastrami and an Italian, the bread is great, fresh topping and lots of meat. I'll be back!!

I finally made it here.Santa Fe Importers is a smaller, more homey Italian deli. Store sells a small selection of Italian imported goods ie pastas, olive oil, etc. They also have separate counters for different things - deli case for cold sandwiches and the back window for the hot stuff.I shared the following:-Italian beef ($18.19 for a large): tender shredded beef with sautéed onions, peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes -pasta with meatballs ($11.99): rotelli with two meatballs + sauce & garlic bread ($1.99)The Italian beef was pretty good. The beef was nice and tender and they're quite generous with it. The beef is piled high in the sandwich, but it could have stood for more onions, peppers , (or cheese) etc. - something to break up all the meat. Did I mention the bread? It was garlicky, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect for an Italian beef.All the pastas use a universal red sauce which made me a little skeptical because how? But yes, it absolutely works. The red sauce is full bodied and so flavorful. Eons above your regular ole marinara. My rotelli rolled and soaked up that red sauce. I thought I'd miss melty cheese on my pasta, but I didn't. This was a solid deli pasta.I had a really enjoyable lunch at Santa Fe Importers. I'll definitely be back to try some pasta salads and a cold cut sandwich.

I've been wanting to try this deli and I just saw them featured on social media recently so I decided to try them on Meatball Monday. I came during lunch time and I was able to find a parking spot in their lot. Inside, I was impressed with all the Italian grocery items they offered and they even had an olive bar and cheeses. I ordered the meatball sub as it seems that's what they're known for. I tend to not get meatball subs but this one was really good! Meatball tasted fresh and the sauce wasn't too sweet or salty. Overall, this was such a hidden gem and I would come back again and try other items off the menu!

If you're in the LBC and you want a great pastrami sandwich, this is your place to go. Of course, they offer a lot more than pastrami sandwiches, but that is my favorite.This business is a combination, deli, market, and a great place to grab a meal. The way this business works is, you walk up to the order window on the right side of the store, if you're looking for a hot sandwich or pasta salad, tell the clerk what you want, and it is prepared for you very quickly. That's one of the great things about this business, if you want something quick, this is a great place to get it.They also have a deli section over near the cash register. Here you can get your deli meats, cheeses, and things like that. They also have a good selection of drinks. If you're looking for a water, soft drink, beer, they'll have something that'll fit your needs.Once you place your order and get your sandwich, grab your deli item, or get whatever else they are offering in their shop, you walk up to the cash register and pay. Simple as that. This really isn't a dine in restaurant. So, keep that in mind. What it is, however, it's a great place to get your food to go.Overall, very good place to get your deli, orientated meals, products, and all the things like that.

If I could combine Santa Fe Importers bread with Angelo's Deli meatballs... Mama Mia, that'd be the best meatball sub in town!

Considering until today I never knew this place existed, I was pleasantly surprised to find such an authentic deli in the neighborhoodLocated in kind of an industrial area off Anaheim and Santa Fe, just a short drive from downtorn LB. Plenty of parking, area seems safe enoughIt's an authentic Italian deli inside a small store that carried alot of Italian delicacies. They do have a couple little table but they are more like counter top stools. But no public restroom.The assortment t of salad and side were pretty decent, and they don't skimp on the meats when it comes to sandwiches. They were fresh and loaded full of flavor.The service was great, they were patient as we had no idea what we wanted never rushed us.Every employee we encountered seemed happy and eager to help.

Let me just say .... been following this spot on IG for quite some time now. We happen to be in the area today and decided to finally give it a try. Soooo happy we did!! This spot is legit good! I had the pastrami ... ordered it without mustard and unfortunately it had mustard on it when I sat down to eat but I took it back to the counter and within 3-4 minutes I had a fresh mustard free sandwich! It was delish! My husband had the chicken cacciatore sandwich which was also good and we ordered a meatball just to give it a try. It's a busy little spot, we hit it right at 3:30 and it was easy breazy but by the time we left the line was loooong! Any place with a line that long has got to be good! When we are in the area, we will definitely stop again! Next time I plan to order a pizza!

If you're looking for a good sandwich come here, I had the Italian cheese sandwich it's a cold sandwich and it was delicious I love the bread they use. A lot of people eating said the meatball sandwich is delicious so I am going to try that next!